“I think in every era of music you can find stuff like this — and sometimes you’ll find that it’s superior to the music that really was making it big commercially.” –Michael Carmody

In this episode of Deviate Rolf delves into a musical mystery — tracing the fate of ten rock and pop albums (found in a thrift store record bin) that evoke the quintessential look and sound of 1980s music, even though — for whatever reason — they never made it big back in the day.

Joining Rolf in this musical investigation is Jedd Beaudoin (@JeddBeaudoin), who hosts the syndicated music show “Strange Currency,” and Michael Carmody (@Carmody68), a musician, record collector, and donut shop entrepreneur.

Album art and show notes for each 1980s mystery album are listed below, in chronological order, by time-code.

Sue Saad and the Next (Planet/Elektra), 1980

[4:05 – 10:56]

Featured song: “I I, Me Me”

Links:

1980 Grammy Awards winners
1980 Billboard Year-End Hot 100
Sue Saad on The Hustle with Jon Lamoreaux
Joan Jett (musician)
John Cougar (musician)
Sue Saad and the Next, “Young Girl“
Sue Saad and the Next, “Gimme Love Gimme Pain“
Rush, “Spirit of the Radio“
Led Zeppelin, “D’Yer Maker“

S·P·Y·S (EMI America), 1982

[10:56 – 20:25]

Featured song: “She Can’t Wait”

Links:

1982 Grammy Awards winners
1982 Billboard Year-End Hot 100
Al Greenwood (Foreigner and S·P·Y·S keyboardist)
Mick Jones (Foreigner guitarist)
Spooky Tooth (band)
SAGA, “On the Loose“
Rainbow (band)
The Clocks, “Nobody’s Fool“
The Human League (synth-pop band)
Warren Cuccurullo (Missing Persons guitarist)
Cinemax (pay-cable TV network) <...

A Shadow History of Rock Music in the 1980s

Deviate

A Shadow History of Rock Music in the 1980s